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United Way announces 2008/09 Community InvestmentsJanuary 23, 2008
United Way announces 2008/09 Community Investments
After reaching 101.5% of the 2007 campaign goal of $1,840,000, the United Way of Sarnia-Lambton Board of Directors have approved the 2008/09 Community Investments to the organizations 27 Funded Agencies who provide 50 programs and services in our community.
The United Way is happy to announce that eight of these 50 programs and services will see a funding increase. The United Way funding process is an in depth, three step local process involving three different groups of volunteers; The Panel Review Members, Community Investment Committee Members, and the Board of Directors.
The programs receiving an increase include the Lambton Seniors' Handyman/Handywomen program, Lambton Elderly Outreach Transportation program, Salvation Army Medical Necessities program, Big Brothers Matching program and Mentoring program, Boys & Girls Club Drop In Centre and After School/Homework Club, and the Youth Resource Houses partnership. All other programs and services will see their funding remain at last year's level with the exception of one, which experienced a decrease in service delivery over the last year.
"The decisions are always difficult to make" said Community Investment Chairperson, Pam Gallant, "however with this year's campaign success and the measurable outcomes and impacts provided by our funded programs, this round was easier than some in the past."
"This year's Community Investment decisions went through many discussions at all three levels," said Gallant. "Volunteers involved with the Panel Reviews and the Community Investment Committee worked very hard and put many hours into the process. There are a number of criteria volunteers look at when making recommendations," she said. "They look at what outcomes and impacts the program has on clients, their families and our community, the financial responsibility of the agency, the effectiveness and efficiency of the program, the demographics of our community, and the number of funding priorities the program hits. All of these volunteers deserve a big thank you."
Consistent to the United Way of Sarnia-Lambton's reputation of being responsive to our community needs, Gallant announced four other investments in our community.
The first one being a third year Venture Grant of $16,000 to the White Cane Centre. The agency assists those with low vision or blindness to get information on vision services and support in our community. The White Cane Centre works very closely with the CNIB, a United Way Funded Agency. Although CNIB provides services to residents in Sarnia-Lambton, they do not have an office here. The White Cane Club provides a visual presence in our community and frequently refers clients in need of CNIB services to the Agency. CNIB holds their monthly Low Vision Clinics at the White Cane Centre as well.
The second Venture Grant in the amount of $30,000 was awarded to the Grand Bend Youth Centre. This Centre fulfills the diverse needs of both youth and seniors in their rural community. They do not have a community/recreation centre or public transit in their community which creates a barrier for residents to access extracurricular activities. Youth acquire social and life skills through the Centre's activities to help them make more informed choices and Seniors develop independence and avoid isolation through a number of seniors programs provided at the Centre.
The third community investment is a partnership between Union Gas, United Way and the Salvation Army. Union Gas has provided $7,500.00 to the United Way of Sarnia-Lambton for a program known as the ‘Winter Warmth Program'. This fund provides emergency financial assistance for families struggling to pay their gas bill and also focuses on energy conservation to assist these households in lowering their energy costs. Families and individuals needing one-time financial assistance to pay their heating bills can contact the Salvation Army (the intake Agency) for more information.
The fourth Community Investment is a $100,000 allocation to the Sarnia-Lambton Drug Strategy. The local strategy will focus on 10 priority recommendations for Lambton County. Some of the recommendations include substance use prevention and education programming in schools, support groups for family members, creation of a website for both service providers and residents, ensuring proper training and information on substance use and abuse, and the misuse of prescribed drugs is provided to service agencies, just to name a few. This Strategy and the recommendations that it contains was developed with the input of 40 direct service providers, medical professionals, government agencies and enforcement agencies in the Fall of 2007. "We look forward to working in partnership with the 40 or so service providers in our community to reduce substance use and abuse in Sarnia-Lambton," said Gallant.
Overall, the 2007 United Way Campaign officially raised $1,870,000.
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For further information, please contact:
Dave Brown, Executive Director (519) 336-5452 Ext. 7 or email dave@theunitedway.on.ca
Pam Gallant, Volunteer Community Investment Chair (519) 383-7004
Community Investments 2008-2009
Agency Name Investment
Big Brothers of Sarnia-Lambton $ 90,166.00
Big Sisters of Sarnia-Lambton $ 79,920.00
Boys & Girls Club of Sarnia-Lambton $ 73,113.00
Canadian Hearing Society of Sarnia-Lambton $ 55,000.00
Canadian Mental Health Association $ 70,000.00
CNIB $ 50,000.00
Canadian Red Cross, Sarnia-Lambton Branch $ 29,000.00
Community Living Sarnia-Lambton $ 41,000.00
Credit Counselling Services $ 15,400.00
Epilepsy Support Centre $ 20,000.00
Family Counselling Centre $ 232,218.00
Lambton Elderly Outreach $ 32,000.00
Lambton Seniors' Association $ 15,500.00
Multiple Sclerosis Society $ 27,450.00
North Lambton Social Services $ 42,384.00
Ontario March of Dimes $ 20,000.00
Sarnia-Lambton Rebound $ 60,000.00
Salvation Army $ 45,986.00
Scouts Canada-Bluewater District (Donor Option) $ 2,475.00
Sexual Assault Survivors' Centre (Donor Option) $ 3,469.00
St. Clair Child & Youth (Donor Option) $ 4,158.00
St. John Ambulance-Lambton Branch (Donor Option) $ 2,000.00
Sarnia-Lambton Stroke Recovery Association $ 13,500.00
Resource Houses - YMCA $ 83,500.00
Amenity Houses - St. Clair Child & Youth $ 48,500.00
Victorian Order of Nurses $ 78,500.00
Women's Interval Home $ 24,480.00
YMCA of Sarnia-Lambton (Donor Option) $ 2,000.00
United Way Direct Community Services $ 116,000.00
Donor Option to Other Agencies $ 62,000.00
Additional Dollars raised through Donor Option for Funded Agencies $ 3,000.00
Venture Grant Fund and Community Response $ 116,000.00
Sarnia-Lambton Drug Strategy Initiative $ 100,000.00
Winter Warmth Partnership - Union Gas & Salvation Army $ 7,500.00
Life in Sarnia-Lambton Community Profile $ 12,000.00
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